Pneumatic-despatch-tube system.



No. 789,888. PATENTED MAY 16, 1905. K. E. STUART.

' PNEUMATIG DESPATOH TUBE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10. 1904.

2 SHBETSSHEET 1.

NO. 789,888 1, PATENTED MAY 16, 1905.

K. RSTUART. PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: JNV'ENTOR.

44 ATTORNEY.

STATES Patented May 16, 1905.

PATENT OEETCE.

PNEUMATIC-DESPATCH-TUBE SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,888, dated May 16,1905.

Application filedFebruary 10, 1904. Serial No. 192,904.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, KENNETH E. STUART, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPneumatic-Despatch-Tube Systems, of which the following is a true andexact description, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part thereof. I

My invention relates to pneumatic-de spatch-tube apparatus of thegeneral character described in my former patent, No. 713,524, ofNovember 18, 1902, the object of my present invention being theimprovement of the apparatus which forms the subject-matter of my formerpatent; and the leading features of my present invention consist in thearrangement of the chambers,

such as are used for terminals or forswitches in the tube system, insuch a way that the gated or barred opening will lie directly be neaththe entrance-port, while the alternative exit-passage is situated at oneside of the gate-opening. In this way I insure that irrespective of thespeed with which the carrierenters the chamber it will come in contactwith the gate or barrier.

Another feature of my present invention consists in providing in oradjacent to the chamber, but normally out of the path of the enteringcarriers, a finger capable of movement across the path of the. carriersand which is actuated by or with the gate or barrier when it is latchedagainst a full opening movement, the finger serving the purpose ofpushing the carrier over sidewise into the second exit-passage or thepurpose of affording a stop to prevent the second carrier from followingtoo close on the movements of the one in contact with the gate,'or bothof such purposes.

The nature of my improvements will be best understood as described inconnection with the drawings in which they are illustrated, and in whichFigure 1 is a front view of the chamber and connected parts; Fig. 2, aside elevation on the section-line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a perspectiveview of the gate, latch, latch-actuating mechanism, and finger adaptedto be thrust in across the path of the carriers. Fig. 4. isa perspectiveview of the latch and latchactuating finger. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 aredetached views showing selecting devices in the carrier-heads and theirmode of action in connection with the latch-actuating finger; and Figs.8 to 11, inclusive, are elevations showing various modifications of myinvention.

A indicates the receiving-tube of the chamber, said receiving-tube bypreference falling sharply from its highest point A to the entrance-port of the chamber, (indicated at A the chamber proper being indicatedat A and the gated outlet at A, while A indicates the alternativeoutlet-passage situated, as shown, at one side of the outlet-passage Awhile the outlet-passage A is situated immediately below theentrance-passage A so that a carrier entering the chamber will falldirectly upon the gate, closing the outlet, the steep entrance-passage Ainsurin that the carrier shall fall with considerab e velocity.

A indicates a chamber extending from the chamber A, as shown.

B indicates the pivot of the gate, to or upon which are secured thegate-carrying arms C C, the gate itself being indicated at C C and thearms C supporting the pivotpin B. The gate here shown has a valveclosing the outlet-passage A and is provided with opening C D is a hubsecured to or on the pivot-pin B and from which projects on one side theleverarm D, carrying the finger D which projects through the opening C,lying directly in the path of the carriers and in advance of the barrierC. From the other end of the hub D extends the lever-arm D having a hookD at its end.

E is a box pivoted on the pin B and normally turned backward by theaction of a spring H. Secured to the box E is the finger E, having itsupper end E turned backward and provided with the downwardly-turned hookend E The finger E normally lies within the chamber A, as shown in Fig.2,

- but is capable of being projected into the chamber A as shown indotted lines. In this position it is prevented from further inwardmotion by the engagement of the hook E with the pin B extending acrossthe chamber A.

E is a hook end adapted to be engaged by the hook D, as shown in Fig.

A indicates an aperture in the side of the chamber A, which-is normallyclosed by a plate F.

G indicates a carrier having heads G, G and G as shown in Figs. 5, 6,and 7, g and 9 indicating selective apertures formed in the head, asdescribed in my before-mentioned earlier patent.

Before describing the modifications I will call attention to theoperation of the mechanism of Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, which is asfollows: Normally the hooks D and E are engaged. The carrier enteringthe chamber A falls directly on the gate-valve C, and if the selectivehead is such that it does not engage the finger D the weight of thecarrier will partly open the gate C, which as it turns 1 on the pivot Bwill throw the finger E out to the position shown in dotted lines inFig. 2, said finger striking against the side of the carrier and.pushing it over, as shown in Fig. 2, so that it will fall in reversedposition into the outlet-passage A At the same time the backwardly-bentportion E of the finger forms an abutment which will arrest the inotionof a carrier following the one in contact with the gate, holding it inelevated position until the gate is closed. If, on the other hand, theselective mechanism is such as to bring the head of the carrier intocontact' with the finger D that finger will be depressed and the hooks Dand E uncoupled, so that when the carrier strikes the gate C said gateis free to open fully, permitting the carrier to pass out of the passageA In the modification shown in Fig. 8 the finger E instead of beingprojected bodily into the chamber A acts against the second finger I,pivoted at I, pressing this finger out across the path ofthe carriers,where it acts in the same Way as finger E in the construction of Fig. 2.

In the modification of Fig. 9 a stop-lever J is pivoted on pin B andattached to turn with the lever-arm J which through a rod J isconnected, as shown, to a finger J pivoted at J. Therearwardly-extending arm of the latch-finger (here indicated at d) has anotched end d which normally lies in position to engage a stop-latch Jon the lever J. It will be seen that in this construction the carrierimpacting itself on the gate C with out operating the latch will inpartly opening the gate bring the arm (1 into contact with stop-latch J,whereupon the levers J and J will move in the direction of the hands ofa watch and the finger J be thrust out, as shown in dotted lines,serving the same purpose as the finger E in Fig. 2.

In the construction of Fig. 10 the latching device is similar to that ofFig. 9, and the finger here indicated at K with a backwardlyturned arm Kis generally similar to the finger E with its backwardly-turned arm KThe finger K serves as a stop. The operation is practically as beforedescribed.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 11 the latching device andfinger L are generally similar to that shown in Fig. 10, where thefinger is illustrated at K. The gate-supporting arms C, however, areprovided with a backwardly-extending finger M, which comes incontact'with the lever-arm N, pivoted at N and secured to a lever-arm N,which through a rod N is coupled to a leverarm N pivoted at N 6 andconnected to a finger N It will be seen in this construction that apartial opening of the gate 0 by turning in the direction of aclock-hand the finger N will permit the finger N to fall or be turnedinward into the chamber A, said finger serving as a stop to prevent thepassage of a second carrier, while the finger L serves the purpose whenactuated of tumbling the carrier over into the outlet-passage A Myinvention is obviously capable of embodiment in many othermodifications, and it will be understod that save where specificillustrated constructions are made limiting elements of my claims theyare in no wise to be considered as implied or requisite to the patentedstructure.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a pneumatic-tube system, a station having an entrance-conduit andan outletpassage A situated directly beneath said entrance-conduit, incombination with a gate normally closing outlet A a latch which, whenengaged by the gate prevents it from fully opening, and a latch-fingerin the path of the carrier for governing the engagement anddisengagement of the latch and gate.

2. In a pneumatic-tube system, a station having an entrance-conduit andan outletpassage A situated directly beneath said entrance-conduit, anda second outlet-passage situated at one side of outlet A in combinationwith a gate normally closing outlet A a latch which, when engaged by thegate trance-conduit, in combination with a gate normally closing outletA a latch which,

when engaged by the gate prevents it from fully opening, and alatch-finger in the path of the. carrier for governing the engagementand disengagement of the latch and gate, a finger arranged between theentrance and outlet passage, said finger being normally retracted fromthe path of the carrier but movable across the same, and means wherebysaid finger is connected and actuated by the partial opening of thelatched gate and disconnected from the gate when it is free to openfully.

4. In a pneumatic-tube system, a station having an entrance-conduit andan outletpassage A, situated directly beneath said entrance-conduit, anda second outlet-passage situated at one side of outlet A in combinationwith a gate normally closing outlet A a latch which, when engaged by thegate prevents it from fully opening, and a latchfin ger in the path ofthe carrier for governing the engagement and disengagement of the latchand gate, a finger arranged between the entrance and outlet passage,said finger being normally retracted from the path of the carrier butmovable across the same, and means whereby saidfinger is connected andactuated by the partial opening of the latched gate and disconnectedfrom the gate when it is free to open fully.

5. In a pneumatic-tube system, a station having an entrance-conduit ator near its top and an outlet-conduit situated at alower level and inthe path of entering carriers, said station having also another outletfor carriers situated at the side of the outlet-conduit aforesaid andbeing formed with a clearance between the inlet and outlet conduitsaforesaid which is adapted to permit a carrier arrested at the mouth ofthe outlet-conduit to fall over laterally and by gravity to the secondoutlet, in combination with a hinged gate arranged to close theoutlet-conduit, a finger normally lying to one side of the pathtraversed by the entering carriers, but capable of being projectedacross said path, a latch arranged to engage and disengage the gate andfinger as described, and a latch-actuating finger arranged in the pathof entering carriers.

6. In a pneumatic-tube system, a station having an inletpassage, anoutlet-passage arranged in the path of an entering carrier and a hingedgate adapted to close said outlet-v passage, the combination with saidgate of a finger normally retracted from the path of the carrier butadapted to be moved across said path, a buffer also normally retractedfrom the path of the carrier but capable of beingmoved to extendtransversely across the said path, means connecting the finger andbuffer so that they will move together, a

latch whereby the gate and finger aforesaid are connected so that amovement of the gate will actuate the finger and buffer, and alatchactuating finger arranged in the path of the carrier.

7. In a pneumatic-tube system, a station having an inlet-passage, anoutlet-passage arranged in the path of an entering carrier and a hingedgate adapted to close said outlet-passage, the combinationwith said gateof a finger normally retracted from the path of the carrier but adaptedto be moved across said path, said finger having a buffer-arm extendingtransversely from its end, a latch whereby the gate and finger aforesaidare connected so that a movement of the gate will actuate the finger andbuffer, and a latchactuating finger arranged in the path of the carrier.

8. In a pneumatic-tube system, a station having an inlet-passage, anoutlet-passage arranged in the path of an entering carrier and a hingedgate adapted to close said outletpassage, the combination with said gateof a flexible finger normally retracted from the path of the carrier butadapted to be moved across said path, a buffer also normally resituatedat one side of the outlet A in combination with a gate, the said gateclosing outlet A and adapted to be opened by the impact of a carrieragainst it, a latch for preventing the gate from opening to its fullextent, a latch-actuating finger situated in the path of the carriersand adapted to be acted on by selective devices on the carriers, afinger in chamber A, normally retracted from the path of the carriersbut movable across the same and means whereby said finger is connectedand actuated by the partial opening of the latched gate under the impactof a carrier, and disconnected from the gate when unlatched and free toopen fully.

10. In a pneumatic-tube system, a chamber A having an inlet-conduit A anoutletpassage A arranged in the path of a carrier entering the chamberand directly beneath the inlet-conduit A and a second outlet A situatedat one side of the outlet A in combination with a gate, said gateclosing outlet A and adapted to be opened by the impact of a carrieragainst it, a latch for preventing ITO the gate from opening to its fullextent, a latch-actuating finger situated in the path of the carriersand adapted to be acted on by selective devices on the carriers, afinger in chamber A, normally retracted from the path of the carriersbut movable across the same and means whereby said finger is con nectedand actuated by the partial opening of the latched gate under the impactof a carrier, and disconnected from the gate when unlatched and free toopen fully.

11. In a pneumatic-tube system, a chamber A, having an inlet-conduit Aan outletpassage A lower than said inlet and arranged in the path of acarrier entering the chamber and a second outlet A situated at one sideof the outlet A in combination with a gate, said gate closing outlet Aand adapted to be opened by the impact of a carrier against it, fingerin chamber A, normally retracted from the path of the carriers butcapable of movement across said path, a latch connecting thegate andfinger whereby the partial opening of the gate throws the finger acrossthe path of the carriers and a latchfinger situated in the path of thecarriers and coacting with devices on the carriers to determine theengagement of the gate and finger aforesaid.

KENNETH E. STUART.

Witnesses CHAS. F. MYERS, D. STEWART.

